Sensing elements are known. They are configured, for example, as so-called planar sensing elements, which have a first electrode exposed to a measured gas, on a solid electrolyte configured as a support, and a second electrode exposed to a reference gas. In a number of applications, the sensing element must be heated to a specific temperature. It is known for this purpose to associate with the sensing element a heating device, which usually has heating conductors running below the electrode that is exposed to the reference gas.
In order to deliver a reference gas onto the reference gas electrode, a reference gas conduit which extends in the longitudinal direction of the sensing element is provided inside the layered, planar sensing element.
To manufacture sensing elements of this kind, it is known that the individual functional layers yielding the sensing element are arranged one above another as so-called green films, the individual functional layers having a specific layout corresponding to the structure of the sensing element. The entire sensing element is then sintered. It is disadvantageous in this context that, because the functional layers are present as green films, the sensing element is relatively labile; handling both during application of the functional layers and during sintering can thus be performed only with the greatest of care in order to prevent damage to the sensing element.